Hair dryers, particularly the portable type, have seen widespread usage over recent years. Because of the speed of drying time, people can wash their hair more frequently. However, frequent use of a hair dryer to dry hair often results in damaging effects to the hair, such as a loss of body and manageablity, dryness, brittleness, and split ends. It has also been discovered that use of hair dryers can also impart an unpleasant odor to the hair. Present conditions which are applied to the hair prior to the drying process do produce some improvement, but have not been entirely satisfactory, and are inconvenient and expensive.
It is known to have vapors dispensed by a hair dryer. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,416 to Hall, there is disclosed a portable dryer which is secured in a cabinent. A vaporizing substance is positioned in the cabinent adjacent the inlet of the dryer. The substance, which is disclosed to be a room freshener, fumigant, or insectacide is drawn into the dryer and expelled from a vent in the cabinent. Such a cabinent device would of course be unsuitable for hair treatment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,369 to Harmon discloses a hair treatment device involving a hair dryer. This is accomplished by providing water, shampoo, or heated air to a cap worn around a person's hair. However, use of the dryer only occurs independently, i.e., after the hair is shampooed and washed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,442,692 to Gaiser and 3,994,694 to McQueary disclose the use of substates carrying fabric conditions. However, this is for conditioning fabrics in a clothes dryer, where the unsupported substrates are placed in a dryer for commingling with the clothes.